S. Mridula, a Class VIII student from the Chennai Girls Higher Secondary School, deftly runs across the field dribbling a football as the crowd watches with bated breath. She shoots to score, but the goalkeeper stops the ball just in time. The match ends in a draw.
Like Mridula, 20 other students discovered their passion for football when Great Goals, a sports academy, came to their school. “Our inspirations are Sunil Chhetri and Cristiano Ronaldo,” said the group of students, comprised of those from Classes VIII-X.
The event was organised on Thursday by Great Goals ahead of International Women’s Day. Under this banner, they began the ‘Just For Girls’, programme for government school girls. They had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Greater Chennai Corporation to begin the initiative in government schools.
Speaking at the event, former Indian international footballer Sumithra Kamaraj urged the girls to stick with their talent and to practice well. “There is a lack of awareness among parents and students regarding the kind of opportunities that are available in sports. There also needs to be incentives to draw students to the ground. While breakfast and noon-meal schemes ensure their attendance at school, it will not sustain them enough to play sports,” she said.
Founded by Priya Gopalen and Sandhya Rajan in 2013, Great Goals currently operates in Chennai and Ranipet, with 424 girls enrolled. The programme offers scholarships, covering coaching, kits, and travel expenses.
Speaking about the initiative, Ms. Sandhya said: “Right now it’s being carried out in three Corporation-run schools in Chennai, but we hope to extend the programme to more schools in the future.” A mini-book HerStory was launched on Thursday, capturing the voices of girls who play football and their achievements and aspirations.
Published - March 07, 2024 09:43 pm IST
